Businesses serve up Valentine’s Day discounts

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When Valentine’s Day rolls around on Tuesday, flowers won’t be in short supply at B/A Florist, 1424 E. Grand River Ave.

The business is planning to sell as many as 10,000 roses for the popular holiday as other East Lansing retailers prepare to offer special deals to celebrate the day.

Laurie VanArk, a designer at the shop, said the increase in foot traffic and purchases at the florist during the holiday season makes the few days before Valentine’s Day hectic.

“It’s a drastic switch,” she said.

On an average weekend, the store sells about 120 arrangements of roses, but in the weekend before Valentine’s Day, the shop sells “hundreds and hundreds” of arrangements, VanArk said.

About 50 to 60 percent of the shop’s deliveries are expected to go to MSU’s campus, she said.

“Because we’re so near the university, it is by far our biggest holiday,” she said.

The store received at least five shipments of roses this past weekend, and employees were busy Friday afternoon preparing arrangements for customers.

Vases and bouquets already were prepared in rows in the shop’s basement as employees pruned and trimmed flowers.

Florist employees also are preparing to make home deliveries throughout the day Tuesday.

The shop brings on a team of retired mail-delivery drivers from the area to assist with shipments, VanArk said.

Store owner and founder Barb Hollowick said the demand for flowers during this time of year helps create camaraderie among employees.

“Everyone gets psyched,” she said.

Human biology freshman Hassan Bazzi purchased an arrangement of eight daisies at the florist for his girlfriend because of the expensive price of red roses.

A dozen white short-stem roses sell for $39.95, VanArk said.

“They’re about one-fifth the price of roses,” Bazzi said. “She likes them, so it works out both ways.”

Other East Lansing businesses also are preparing for the holiday by offering discounts and deals.

Jeanologie, 303 M.A.C Ave., plans to offer 14 percent off jewelry Feb. 14, and Crunchy’s, 254 W. Grand River Ave., will offer customers 14 percent off their bill if they mention the restaurant’s Facebook event page, according to the city of East Lansing’s website.

The holiday brings an unusually large amount of male customers to Mad Eagle, 301 M.A.C Ave., looking for jewelry gifts, store owner Holly Mead said.

“We see a lot of male faces around this time,” she said.

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